Alton Baker Park Eugene - Public Input Needed - Last Chance

August 21st, 2011, 07:34 PM

I'm posting this in "Disc Golf" because I think it's about more than just the new course at Alton Baker.

For those who haven't been following the situation, here it is in a nutshell: The City of Eugene has had one 9-hole disc golf course since 1988. About three years ago we started to see some movement with the City and eventually they chose Alton Baker Park as the site for a proposed 18 hole course. Multiple public input meetings, two public surveys, several one and two day tournaments on different layouts, and recently three "trial days" that were overwhelmingly successful.

The Oregon Track Club which maintains "Pre's Trail" in Alton Baker waited over 18 months and until the last possible moment for public input to raise objections to the proposed course, initially citing "safety concerns". More delay, more public input. The OTC asked for a walk-through of the course. Then they asked for the "trial days" so they could see what it would look like. The trial days were beyond expectation, with over 1000 rounds played and zero reported safety incidents or concerns.

The Oregon Track Club has now started a public media campaign against the proposal, but they've dropped any mention of safety concerns and now cite possible affects on the "ambiance" of the running trail. Essentially, they think that people will stop running on Pre's trail if they have to see disc golfers. They have had a meeting with the Mayor, published an opinion piece, and they followed that up by somehow convincing a reporter to write a story that repeated every single thing that was in the opinion piece.

The City of Eugene is again interested in public input and will be making their final decision on moving forward with the proposal in the next few weeks. We need to stand up for disc golf in Eugene now or we will never be taken seriously.

They WANT you to contact them. If you live in Eugene this is especially crucial, but everyone who wants a disc golf course in Alton Baker should contact them. Tell them how much you travel to play disc golf and how many courses you have where you are.

BE POLITE, BE BRIEF, BE POSITIVE.

Some points to consider:

Pre's Trail is four miles long. The disc golf course is only visible along 800 feet of the trail! The disc golf course design has been proven beyond any doubt to be safe.

The citizens of Eugene own Alton Baker Park, not the Oregon Track Club. One organization should not be allowed to deny anyone access to recreation in a public park.

You would travel X number of miles to play this course.

Disc golf is a game for people of all ages and walks of life.

We'd like to see the City follow through with their plans.

BE POLITE, BE BRIEF, BE POSITIVE.

Emails are easy, phone calls are great, and letters are even better. Please include your full name and the City you live in however you contact these folks.

Register Guard letters to the editor (250 words or less, full name, address and telephone number) can be sent to:rgletters@registerguard.com

BE POLITE, BE BRIEF, BE POSITIVE.

These people know they need to provide disc golf, and they know what disc golfers think. But they want you to tell them one more time so they can tell the Oregon Track Club that the disc golf course is going forward. You don't have to convince them, just let them know how you feel.

The sooner the better, and the more the better. Please forward this info to anyone you think wants to see more disc golf in Eugene, and please contact these people today.

I'm a little disheartened at the lack of responses on this thread. We are asking for your help- we need your help. We have worked so hard for this course and we have ONE club trying to take that away.
We have many disc golf clubs in Oregon. We are not asking for money, we are asking for a phone call, email, or a letter. Can we not come together for this one thing?
I know this is not the prime area for a lot of you but this course could break the stagnant mold in Eugene. The same mold that has held us to a nine hole course for 23 years.

Please respond just to let us know that you've sent some kind of communication to the city of Eugene.

Comment

Even though I live in Spokane I've actually sent a few emails myself. I don't think that 1 nine hole course in Eugene is enough. I'm especially set back by the appalling behavior of the running club. I understand they want to protect their investment but they seem to be a little overzealous with their fears.

Hope it all works out for you golfers down there. Remember this when I have to petition the Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation to get at least 1 course in the Spokane Valley

Comment

I wrote up an email in support and hopefully it helps. I did express that my son and I would likely travel to play. Also I expressed that as out-of-towners we would be spending money in Eugene.

Best of luck on this issue.

"Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person. Love is an attitude, an ordination of character which determines the relatedness of the person to the whole world as a whole, not toward one object of love.”

Comment

I just got a return email from the Mayor Kitty Piercy. So they are reading and addressing these emails and letters. Here is what she wrote to me.
(I think disc golf is great and attracts a lot of folks from out of town. The problem is the strong opposition from the track club and the Prefontaine family. It’s a conundrum. I wish we had another local. Kitty) I sent email yesterday and have reply today. Lets get on this folks send them in (emails letters etc) she and they are reading them and trying to make this happen.

Comment

Same sort of response I received. Is there a nice way to basically tell her it is not a private park and one family or group should not receive preferential treatment even disc golfers.

"Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person. Love is an attitude, an ordination of character which determines the relatedness of the person to the whole world as a whole, not toward one object of love.”

Comment

Same sort of response I received. Is there a nice way to basically tell her it is not a private park and one family or group should not receive preferential treatment even disc golfers.

I sent an email back stating the same thing telling her the argument is over 8oo ft of a 4 mile trail. her response was that they dont and wont be making the decision (the OTC) and that they (OTC) have spent lots of time and personal money keeping the trail up but she agreed that it is all of our park.
After getting Her last response it seems to me more than ever that we need non disc golfers to send in these emails. I saw some guy on the Eugene disc golf club facebook page with a discer and a memeber of the club who wants to help get it in. We should take advantage of a guy like this who is in both worlds.

Comment

I sent an email back stating the same thing telling her the argument is over 8oo ft of a 4 mile trail. her response was that they dont and wont be making the decision (the OTC) and that they (OTC) have spent lots of time and personal money keeping the trail up but she agreed that it is all of our park.
After getting Her last response it seems to me more than ever that we need non disc golfers to send in these emails. I saw some guy on the Eugene disc golf club facebook page with a discer and a memeber of the club who wants to help get it in. We should take advantage of a guy like this who is in both worlds.

Thanks everyone. I am in touch with Josh, mentioned above. He's a mediator and that is great, but when one side has made all concessions and one side is waging a dishonest media campaign, there is not a lot to mediate.

If someone on the list emails back and you see a simple, short point you can make to their reply, then feel free to do so briefly and politely. Beyond that just say thanks.

Comment

In the Burning Man world we are required to stipulate cleanup and impact studies in order to continue the event. In what means can the disc golf community step up to meet the expectations of the city with regards to land use. I understand their are outside parties influencing decision but sometimes a great idea requires follow-up that can be documented. Showing such a plan may help to put the city back in favor.

"Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person. Love is an attitude, an ordination of character which determines the relatedness of the person to the whole world as a whole, not toward one object of love.”